Through Hell and Back
by megan.nicole8659
Summary: May Ellis has no idea what she's done to deserve the hell she's living. Trapped in what she assumes to be some kind of medical prison, she meets another "patient". Their interaction is the only thing keeping her sane, but how long will it last when all comes to light? **Set post Suicide Squad and after Harleen has left Joker for Pamela.**
1. Chapter 1

Pain. Pain. Mind numbing pain. That's what most of my days have been filled with since they took me. I don't even know why they took me. I'm just an ordinary girl. I remember bits and pieces from the sessions. They'd talk of how well I was handling it, and that they were surprised my body could withstand all the infusions. After the most recent infusion, they told me how much of a good girl I've been. How they can't wait to see how it manifests since all the others died. Hell, there have been multiple times I wished for death.

My ears pick up on a door banging open in the hall. A gruff voice grates on my ears. "Now, let's see you get out of this, ya' clown."

The swish of a cell door accompanies another, smoother, voice. "Oh, my pleasure."

The door thuds shut. "Heh. There's not any'ne in this part of the holding cells. This is just for ya' and little miss experiment o'er there. Have fun talking yer way out of this one. They're on to yer ways now." Whistling accompanies heavy footsteps, until there's silence once more.

My new neighbour hasn't made a sound since the guard left.

I try to keep my breathing shallow since I still feel like I'm burning all over, but an aftershock runs through me. My world goes dark.

I gasp awake in a sweat. I try to count the cracks in the ceiling to calm down. It seems I can't even escape my captors in my sleep.

"So, what are you in for?" The voice is softer now, practically a whisper.

I sit up and hug my knees to my chest. "I- I don't know."

A snort can be heard from him. "They already got your memories, huh? They're good at that."

I hug myself tighter. "No. Well, not the way you're thinking at least. One day I was just a normal, ordinary girl. The next, I woke up in this brick cell. My memory got wonky when the sessions started."

"Sometimes, memories are the worst form of torture." He sounds bitter now. I liked it better when his voice was soft.

I don't want to talk about this anymore. I get enough torture already, thanks. "Uhm, why did that guard call you a clown?"

"Ha!" He barks out, and I jump. "I've got a reputation for being a bit of a clown is all. Turns out most people don't appreciate my humor, though."

I tilt my head and look toward the wall. "Is that why you're in here?"

"Yup." He pops his 'p', then I hear some rustling and groaning. "Night, sugar."

Sugar? That's an odd choice. "Night."

My sleep schedule is all out of whack since I spend most of my days lazing about in between sessions. I can't even tell what time it is anymore thanks to the windowless walls. The only thing I have to go on is when a guard brings my food. The door suddenly slides open and panic creeps into my veins. Isn't it too early for another session? They're never this close.

My eyes adjust to the harsher hall lighting and see a guard holding two trays. "Up an' at 'em, girlie. Ya've got a job now. Need ya to feed the clown since he ain't gettin' outta that jacket anytime soon." He motions for me to come to him, but I can't help but stare. I can't remember the last time I got out of my cell without being drugged out of my mind. "Well, let's get a move on," he snaps, "I don't got all day."

"Of course, sorry." I murmur as I slip on my shoes. The walk from my bed to the other cell door seems like it takes too long with the guard's beedy eyes on me. They haven't touched, but they certainly don't mind leering either.

He hands me both trays and moves to unlock the door. "I'll be back in about an hour. Goo'luck, girlie." He opens the door and pushes me in. My poor feet aren't used to walking much anymore, so I almost topple the food. Luckily, I manage to keep myself, and the food, upright.

"Thanks a lot, jerk.", I huff out as I look for a place to set the trays. The only thing in here is the bed, and I'm not so sure this guy would like waking up to a bed mate. Maybe the floor would work? It does have a tendency to be cold, though.

"Well, what do we have here?" I look to the bed and see my neighbour is sitting up.

"Uhm, I'm May. I'm- I'm your neighbour. The guard told me I had to help you eat." Somehow, I manage to stammer that out without staring at his radioactive hair or lack of eyebrows. I'm kinda proud of myself.

"Sugar!", he exclaims, "Don't just stand there, come on." He swings a leg up to thump the bed. Apparently, I'm Sugar now. "What's on the menu?"

I make my way to the bed and sit on the edge. Something about this guy makes me a tad uneasy. Maybe it's the _Damaged_ tattoo across his forehead that's setting off my alarms… With a quick look at the trays I say, "Well, looks like peanut butter sandwiches, a banana, and some chips." I look to my right as he leans in to examine the food. He's glaring at it like it's personally offended him in some way.

He heaves a big sigh and sits back up, "This will have to do for now." He slants his eyes to mine. "How do you want to do this?"

I look down to the food to get away from his piercing gaze. "Well, it'd probably be easiest to eat one at a time. Do you want to go first?" I peek at him through my eyelashes.

He stares at me for a few moments with a blank expression on his face. Then, a small smile appears on his face. "Okay, doll."

"You sure do have a thing for nicknames, don't you?", I ask as I grab the sandwich and turn to face him.

"Yup.", he responds and pointedly waits with his mouth open. I place the sandwich close to his mouth and catch a glimpse of his silver teeth as he goes to bite it. What an odd appearance he has. We sit in silence as he methodically eats. It's odd feeding another person like this; it almost feels too intimate. "Your turn, sweetness."

I bring my tray into my lap and ask, "Seeing as we're going to be spending time together, what should I call you?"

He looks confused for a second, but he quickly hides it by giving me a wide smile. "You can call me J, pumpkin."

I swallow my mouthful and ask with a tilted head, "Why do you keep switching nicknames?"

"Well," he scoots to sit indian style across from me and leans in, "I'm trying to find your nickname, toots. You know, the one that feels right. I haven't managed to find it yet, though." He scowls.

"Oh, well, I'm sure you will." He hums in response and stares at me as I finish my meal. I brush my hands off and place the trays on the ground. I'm trying really hard to not become itchy under his intense stare. My curiosity comes out to play, though, since he's been fairly pleasant, if a little weird, during our visit. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you in a straight jacket? And how do they expect you to use the restroom? The guard said you wouldn't be getting out of it anytime soon. Surely, they can't mean to keep you in it 24/7."

"My, my, my," he whispers as he sways side to side, "someone's a talkative kitty cat."

I sit up straighter and say, "Oh, no, I didn't me-"

He interrupts me with a small laugh, "Oh, no. Don't apologize babe, you're just curious." He grins and leans in to where I can smell a vague mint aroma coming from him. "The jacket is until the docs come to process me, though I'm sure fatso the guard would love it to stay on forever. They usually come within a day of me getting here."

I tilt my head to the side in confused curiosity. " Just how often are you here, exactly?", I ask incredulously.

He flashes his teeth in a big smile and goes to answer me, but the cell door is suddenly being slid open. His demeanor immediately shifts as he makes his face blank. He glances to the guard as if he wants to kill him, and something about the look makes me think he'd have no problems doing it.

"Time to leave, girlie. Doc's gotta have some alone time with the clown." He gestures for me to grab the trays and come to him.

I sneak a glance to what I assume to be the doctor standing behind the guard, as I grab the trays. I shuffle my way to the door and squeeze through once the doctor steps inside. I stop just outside the doorway to turn and say, "It was nice speaking with you, J." He doesn't smile at me, but I like to think his eyes warm up a fraction before the guard slams the door in my face.

 **A/N: First ever fanfic. Inspiration hit and I finally decided to stop just playing my story scenarios out in my head. Feedback & constructive criticism encouraged as IDK if anyone else even likes this. Basically, do you want more of the story? Also, if anyone happens to be interested in becoming my beta, that'd be awesome sauce. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

It's been two whole days of nothing. No human contact, no getting out of my cell, no neighbour to talk at me through walls. Hell, they haven't even been opening my door to give me food. They've just been sliding it in the food slot. It also seems that I have been taken off whatever meds they had me on because I'm the most lucid I've been in what seems like forever. On one hand, that's nice. I can think clearly, have my wits about me, and I feel like I'm getting to know my personality again. On the other hand, it makes it harder to just sleep away the time, gives me enough time to think and be angry about my circumstances, and makes me realize I miss interacting with people. Hell, I'd take weird neighbour, if they hadn't carted him off to who knows where!

I suppose I should think of him as J, though. I did get his name after all. He seems super sketch, though. Definitely someone I would try to avoid in the outside world. Sadly, he's the nicest anyone has been to me my entire hellish stay. And don't even get me started on how familiar he is with this place.

I huff angrily and flop onto my back. Another problem of no drugs, I feel how shit the mattress is. There is literally no way to get comfortable on this thing. It should be illegal to make people sleep on these.

Just as I'm contemplating getting up to do some yoga for the thousandth time, I hear the outer door open. I sit up on the edge of my bed as footsteps come closer to my door. Am I finally going to be drug back out again?

My door slides open and that smug, smarmy guard is there. "C'mon girlie. Time for ya to take a field trip. The Doc wants ya for some reason." A constipated look passes his face as he steps forward to handcuff me.

"Which doctor?" Does this mean that it's my time to be tortured? There did seem to be a doctor in charge of that…

As he snicks the cuffs on me, he answers, "Don't worry. Not your doc. It's the clown's doc. Why he wants you is beyond me, though."

What the hell does J's doctor want with me?

* * *

The walk to wherever he's taking me is the furthest I recall ever going in this godforsaken place. It's actually started to lose some of the grunge and life seems to have seeped into it. We pull to a stop in front of a door. There aren't any windows in it, so I'm not sure what lies in wait for me. Before I have time to start getting truly anxious, he uncuffs me and pushes me through without a word.

I pull my hands up to shield my eyes. There's too much light in here and it is more than a tad blinding. "Ah, May. There you are. Sorry about the shock, daylight can be intense after so long without. I'm Richardson, the doctor in charge of J's case and care. Why don't you come take a seat?"

I blink rapidly to acclimate my eyes and lower my hands. We're in a fairly small room with two loveseats facing each other over a coffee table. The bottom of the coffee table seems to be filled with various board games, and I notice a small kitchenette along the east wall. My eyes finally land on Richardson and note that he seems to be a nice enough looking man. Maybe in his 30s or 40s; it's hard to tell. More importantly, I only have two options of where to sit. Right by a doctor of this super fishy outpost, or my off neighbour that's a little too familiar with this place for my tastes. I choose the familiar option and make my way around the back of the loveseat to sit. With J's loveseat facing away from the door, I couldn't see his face at first. Now, I see he's staring steadily at the coffee table and no longer has the straight jacket on.

When I sink into the cushion, my leg accidentally brushes his. I try to snatch it away before he notices, but I don't think I manage seeing as he flicks his eyes to me. "Now, you must be wondering why you're here, May. I believe you can help me with something. J refuses to talk to me, and that's not good for him. Would you be willing to give it a go with him? I know that you two spent a while together a couple days ago."

I turn to look at Richardson. "Uhm, you want me to… talk to him…?"

He smiles. "Yes, dear. I will, of course, leave the room to give you some privacy. There are no microphones in here, but we do have a camera or two for the safety of everyone involved. Guards will be at the ready should anything happen, not to fear." He stares at me expectantly.

If I say no, I'll most likely get stuffed back into that cell. And it's not like J and I haven't already chatted, right? What's the harm in trying to stay out for as long as possible? I take a deep breath and say, "I'll do it."

"Great!" Richardson exclaims. "I'll just leave you two alone for a while then and check on you in a bit." He gathers his briefcase and makes for the door. "I really cannot thank you enough, May. You truly are a wonderful person."

The sound of the lock reminds me I'm alone with someone that was in a straight jacket the last time I saw him. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea….

 **A/N: First off, thanks for all the reviews, follows, favorites! 3 Secondly, SO SORRY for the huge time in btwn updates and the shorter chapter. :( My life recently got hectic; I added a night class on top of my full time job, plus have had super busy weekends. I decided to go ahead and post this since it seemed like a good place to break it off, but let me know if you'd rather I would have waited for a bit more content. I will try my best to update soon(ish), but I can't make any promises.**


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